Episode 1036 – Picking a Line
When you were new
Go back in time to when you were new to Jeeps, or really any 4-wheel drive. What didn’t you know and how did you find out?
I started 4×4 with a 1983 Chevy SWB truck. I bought it new and I still don’t remember how I found out that when you lock the front hubs and put the transfer case in 4-wheel drive you couldn’t drive around on pavement (sidewalks included). You could damage the drivetrain.
It wasn’t until I purchased my second 4×4, the Jeep Cherokee, that it wasn’t a 4-wheel drive, it was a one-wheel or two-wheel drive. One on the rear axle and one on the front.
Thanks to the Internet I have learned so much more since then.
I was always a very “hands-on person” with my vehicles. I needed to have a good understanding of how it was put together. With the new Cherokee, I just drove it. I didn’t investigate the details of it until I started modifying it about 2005.
I’m in a similar situation with the 2021 Jeep Talk Show Gladiator, however, it is similar to the XJ, and TJs we have.
Not a Jeep
If you’ve been watching the world you can easily see that the Jeeps we know today will probably not be available in the future. You’ve seen the insane push for electric vehicles, and frankly, that really doesn’t work for an off-road Jeep. We need a lot of power and torque to go short distances. Battery technology might be acceptable for highways, with no headwind, driving, drops significantly off-road. What is the Wrangler 4xe, EV mode 50 miles, but 3 miles off-road?
What are you going to do in 10 or 15 years? Will you just stop owning a Jeep? Stop going off-road? Just use the highway and paved surfaces and only go as far as you feel comfortable finding a charger?
Will you just give up on your self-sufficient, go-anywhere off-road hobby?
What will it take for you to abandon your off-road hobby?
I believe that in the future we’ll have to build our own off-road vehicles. Internal combustion engines will be around (used and rebuildable) for 20+ years. Assuming the government doesn’t outlaw them, or have some program that destroys them. “Cash for Clunkers”
Much of this is in our control. It’s important who we vote for and even then it’s not a guarantee that those people will do what we want.
Hmmm, maybe we need to make sure the people running for office are Jeepers and think that the land should be used for off-road not just people sitting in their homes feeling good about keeping people off the land they never intend on visiting.
I spoke with Dan of Motobilt at EJS this year. I told him my thoughts on how we may have to build our own Jeeps and they were well on their way to making this a possibility with their build El Efe. Beautiful Jeep that has Jeep skins on it. Kind of like a NASCAR, it may look like a car you recognize, but that’s just a fiberglass shell.
Newbie Nuggets with Wendy
Picking a Line
In my last few Newbie Nugget episodes I talked about using a spotter and being a good spotter. I’m adding to this segment by sharing how to pick your line. Picking your line can be summed up as “How will you get through the obstacle and which line (or way) is best for you, your ability, and your Jeep setup?”
When we work with new drivers:
1) I get them out of their jeep and let them “see” the line by showing them options for that particular obstacle.
2) When you first approach an obstacle a few things will stick out on the rocks. Like is there any shiny material left behind from other Jeepers? This means someone didn’t pick a good line and got stuck, or scraped their tie rod, control arm, or differential. If you see oil remnants or other fluid, chances are they backed off the rock and peeled their factory differential cover just enough to create a slow leak of gear oil. If you do, you may be facing a really tough obstacle LOL. You almost always want to plan to place your tires on the shiny parts of the rocks where others have scraped because it will give you greater ground clearance so that you’re not the one leaving part of your Jeep behind.
I say it all the time, but it’s crucial you get out of your jeep and inspect the obstacle.
1) Look at it from both the driver’s perspective and also look at the obstacle from the opposite view – looking back at your parked jeep. This should give you a clear visual of just where those tires are going to contact the rocks.
2) Walking past the obstacle or taking a look back at the line from another angle really helps to see where the tire placement could or should go (both front & rear). The art of picking a line is to get your jeep over and through the obstacle with little to no damage. Jeepers who have been wheeling for a while love this challenge on the most difficult lines out there.
Now a there few things to keep in mind;
1) Rear tires do not track the same as the fronts when making turns. This is something to consider when you are lining yourself up to an obstacle. It’s important to “line up” to the obstacle as straight as possible. You may need to roll your front tires a little farther left or right than they need to, to ensure your rear tires track where you want them to. This is one of the biggest mistakes we see from new drivers and spotters. They focus solely on the front and forget about the rear tires. And to be honest, I have seen “experienced” drivers wheel and not realize this as well.
2) What is your Jeep wheelbase? – are you two-door, four-door, or in a JT which adds some extra length? This makes a difference in how your jeep will track over an obstacle.
3) What is the width of your axles and tires? Are you a stock or did you put wheel spacers in to keep your tires from rubbing the frame when you make sharp turns? Did you put Dana 60s underneath? Know the outside parameters of your tires and Jeep. Most are standard but there will be exceptions. Understanding the width is very helpful when it comes to tire placement.
You can test your width awareness with cones set up in a parking lot, or find a narrow trail with bushes on both sides. You are essentially threading a needle, so to speak, and learning just how wide your jeep is. Can you get through without touching either side? BTW We typically see more scratches on the passenger side because the driver was focused only on the driver side. Knowing your spatial boundaries will help keep the pin striping off your doors and also help you navigate obstacles.
4) Knowing how your Jeep tires track is very important. When you turn your front tires the rear will track differently- they will not go in the same line as the fronts. They will track inside the path of the front wheels. It’s simple geometry. The length of your jeep will make a difference in how the rears track. With a short wheel base, the rear tires will track closer to the front. With longer wheelbases, the rear tires will track farther inside the path of the front. On a four-door JK or JL, if you turn full lock with the steering the rear tires will track a full ½ width of the Jeep to the inside. A JT will track farther inside still.
5) So how does this matter in picking a line? If you place your front tires on a rock, as an example, and think “I’m clear” and turn the front wheels, you will more than likely slip off the rock with the rear tires. Even the slightest adjustment can change the tracking of the rear tires. You need to continue forward until the rear tires are over the rock or obstacle, or as close to straight as possible. The same applies to setting up the line you pick. Getting through an obstacle takes patience and understanding. It’s all a process of learning.
Getting out of your jeep and watching others go through an obstacle can be a great learning tool. Watch how the rear tires track on the line they picked – it’s amazing how a small change in the direction of the fronts really affects the rears. I have learned so much by just watching others pick lines.
The first thing to do when you approach an obstacle (besides getting out and looking)
1) See where you want your front tires to go and be aware of where your rear tires are – for example, if you turned sharply to get to that obstacle you may need, or want, to back up once or twice to try to “line up” your rear tires so that you are in a straighter position to track correctly. If you are not lined up straight to that obstacle, you may have a difficult time tracking through the obstacle. You will get through; it just may not go as smooth as you had anticipated. But, that’s also how you learn.
2) Sometimes obstacles may have an easy way or a more difficult way to get through. You can decide what you feel comfortable trying. By watching others, you may determine that taking the easier route this time is your choice. Just because others took a harder line, doesn’t mean you have to. There is no shame in picking the route you want – good or bad, you are learning about your jeep and how it tracks and what it’s capable of, so try it.
3) Little or small increments in your steering movements are key to helping you stay on track. Using a spotter to help you through is another great way to learn and figure out what your jeep does. A good spotter can be your eyes and help you through by keeping your tires up on the rocks instead of slipping off. Picking a line is part of the challenge of Jeeping. You want to see if the line you picked allowed you to get over the obstacle, or hindered you, or maybe you just wanted to see if you could do the harder line. The only way to figure this out is to try it! EXPERIENCE is the best teacher.
(https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver)
Trails 411: https://www.jeep4x4school.com/
Must-Have Stuff for Your Jeep!
Jeep JL Auto Shifter Knob $149.00
Color (you can match to your paint)
Logo (No logo to a wide variety of choices)
Logo color (No color, also a wide variety of colors)
Manual transmission knobs are also available.
JK, JL and JT
Yes they do offer a custom knob for the transfer case, $139.00
https://americanbrotherdesigns.com/jeep-jl-auto-shifter-knob/